Indonesia: global polio fight

Fast food restaurants were transformed Tuesday into makeshift clinics serving &to=http:// english.pravda.ru/science/2005/05/03/59561.html ' target=_blank>polio vaccines with burgers and fries as Indonesia began a frenetic campaign to immunize millions of children and contain its first outbreak of the disease in a decade.

Banners offering "gratis" vaccines at McDonald's outlets and other makeshift clinics drew crowds of families as the country pushed to complete 6.4 million immunizations in just two days and put the global polio fight back on track, tells the Standard.

&to=http:// english.pravda.ru/world/2002/10/13/38073.html ' target=_blank>Indonesia today began vaccinating about 6.4 million children under 5 years old against polio on the main island of Java as the number of cases of the crippling disease in the country rose to 16 from 14 last week, the Health Ministry said.

Children in Jakarta, Banten, and West Java provinces are receiving the oral vaccine, the ministry said. The outbreak affects only West Java, where Indonesia's first incidence of polio in 10 years was reported last month. Authorities consider Jakarta and Banten at risk because they border West Java.